Get Ready for Counter-Strike 2: A Comprehensive Guide to Release Date, Price, Beta Test, New Features, and More

Valve, the game development company, has finally confirmed the release of Counter-Strike 2, which will be an overhaul of its popular first-person shooter game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). The announcement was made through a series of videos that showcase the new changes and upgrades to the game.

Counter-Strike 2 will be a free-to-play game and will be released sometime in Summer 2023, exclusively for PC users. The game will be powered by the Source 2 engine and will feature new lighting, graphics, and maps. Players can expect the same gameplay as in CS:GO, but with improved features such as realistic materials, reflections, and improved smoke behavior.

Valve’s announcement of the title has been a hot topic of discussion for several weeks, with rumours circulating about it’s release. The official Counter-Strike Twitter page also hinted at the game’s release with cryptic tweets, which only fueled the rumours. However, the announcement came as a surprise to many, and fans of the game are eagerly anticipating the release.

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The FPS is set to be released sometime in Summer 2023, and Valve has not provided a specific release date. However, players who are lucky enough to be selected for the limited test can already experience the game and give feedback on the new features. The game will be free-to-play, and as of now, it will be available only on PC. Valve has not announced any plans to port the game to consoles.

Counter-Strike 2 will replace CS:GO when it is officially released and will bring several new changes and features. The most significant change will be in the lighting and visuals, as Valve is using its new Source 2 engine to power the game. The engine has been used to develop popular titles such as Half-Life: Alyx, DoTA: Underworlds, and Artifact, and it will enable the devs to produce realistic materials, lighting, and reflections.

Maps will also be upgraded using the new Source 2 engine, but Valve is taking a cautious approach to avoid drastically changing the maps for a competitive game. Consequently, the maps have been classified into three distinct categories: Upgrades, Touchstone and Overhauls. Touchstones are the legacy foundation maps, Upgrades include maps with Source 2’s improved lighting and textures, and Overhauls refer to the oldest maps in the game that have been completely remade for CS 2.

Players can expect to experience the same gameplay as in CS:GO, but with improved features such as reworked smoke behaviour. In Counter-Strike 2, the smoke behavior has been reworked to interact with objects and behave more realistically on the map.

Valve has not announced any plans for a console release, but it is possible that the game may be released on consoles in the future. Valve’s announcement has generated a lot of excitement among fans of the series, and it will be interesting to see how the game will perform once it is released.

All You Need To Know:

Release Date

As mentioned previously above, the supported platforms for the game is currently only available as a PC exclusive but this may change.. As of now, the devs have not made any announcements regarding the possibility of porting the first-person shooter to consoles, such as the PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X/S. Keep this page bookmarked for future updates on the situation.

The developers of CS2 have confirmed that players will be able to transfer their existing CS:GO in-game items, including gun skins, to the new title. CS:GO boasts one of the largest in-game marketplaces where players can buy and sell skins regularly. This system has even given rise to third-party skin stores where users can sell their skins for real money.

Fortunately though, the player base will have easy access to their already existing skins and gloves in-game at their convenience. Since the upcoming title is primarily an engine upgrade, Valve has also mentioned the bonus that all of the skins have received the Source 2 treatment.

This means that all weapon skins and items have been updated with improved graphics and are already available in the beta test. Therefore, players can check out their older skins in Source 2 lightning as soon as they gain access to the beta test.

New Tick System

If you’re a long-time player of CS:GO, you’re likely aware that the game uses 64-tick servers, which ensures that movement and shooting are identified in discreet time intervals. While Valve claims that there were no noticeable time intervals, providing players with a responsive experience, there were occasional millisecond delays.

In Counter-Strike 2, Valve has introduced a new and improved sub-tick system, building upon the previous tick concept. This new system allows the server to understand when the player is moving and shooting, resulting in more precise gameplay. With this system, every action performed by the player in-game is precisely calculated by the server.

As a result, players will no longer have to rely on third-party clients like FaceIt and SoStronk for higher tick-rate servers like 128 tick-rate servers.

How Can I Gain Access To Limited Beta Test?

Currently, the developers are conducting a limited beta test for CS2, granting access to the game for selected past and present players. Valve is selecting players based on their Steam profile standing, playtime, and experience. Thus, anyone can gain access to the CS2 beta if the system considers them eligible to try the upcoming title. For further information on how to access the Counter-Strike 2 limited beta test, stay tuned.

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